Osteoarthritis of the shoulders

kev4

Just being diagnosed with wear and tear in both shoulders and worried about the future! I’m also a full time carer for my wife and struggling to cope. We don’t have help from Social services; I know that’s got to change!

At the moment I hurt all over, shoulders back hips legs and feet. I don’t know if it is all related to the shoulders or something else. I do have bad posture and it did take over Twelve years to get a diagnosis.

I haven’t being back to the Doctors since the diagnosis 2 months ago when I had two cortisone injections. Still angry from the delay in the diagnosis a simple X-ray twelve years ago would have saved me from a lot grief. I’m going to the GP next week and go to the rheumatology clinic in August

My main worry at the moment is the tiredness and spaced out feeling from the medication, I’m taking Citalpram, Co-codamol, Ibuprofen and Tramadol. I’m only taken the Tramadol at night when things get bad.

I really don’t want to take them, but I don’t want to stop either, I just don’t know what to do!

dreamdaisy

Hello kev4, I too have OA but that is in my knees, not my shoulders etc. They are affected when my PA (psoriatic arthritis) flares, which it is trying to do at the moment. When one part of you hurts it means that you tend to hunch or just generally stiffen, in order to try to avoid hurting yourself further. The nett result is aches and pains in bits where you don't normally get them. I am affected in my toes, ankles, knees, sacro-iliac joints all the time, then other joints join in when I flare. Arthritis does affect one's posture, there is no doubt about that.

What strength tramadol are you on? I have the 50mg which I keep for night use as they do make me sleepy (I don't sleep too well tho) but for the really bad times I have a slow-release 100mg version of tramadol, which I find excellent. I too am on an anti-inflammatory plus stomach protector, other nasty meds for the PA and citalopram ot help with a current bout of depression. For OA there is not much else to be done meds-wise than what you are taking, but you may need a revision of them to find something to work better for you. Rheumatologists don't usually deal with OAers, they specialise in the auto-immune versions of this dross, so don't get your hopes up too high for any help from that quarter. OA is usually dealt with by GPs and perhaps orthopaedic surgeons. Shoulder arthroscopies are a possibility, but it all depends on how your arthritis is affecting you. Every persons version of this is different.

You are in a difficult position as you are your wife's carer - does this involve lifting etc? Rest whenever you can to help conserve your energies, all forms of arthritis are wearing and tiring. As for dignosis, it may not have been that easy for them to tell what exactly was happening, but even if you had been more quickly diagnosed the outcome would still be pretty much the same. OA is not treatable, as such, it is more a case of relieving the symtpoms as much as possible. DD

julie47

Hi kev4

Sorry to hear tthings are tough for you at the moment.

I can imagine your tiredness especially if you are being a full time carer to your wife and coping with your own arthritis. The tablets may make you feel washed out but at the same time they will be controlling your pain (to some extent).I would speak to your doctor next week see what he says and also see if you could bring your rhummy appointmenmt forward.

I hope you can get in touch with social services and that they will help you, I am sorry that you have to struggle. I can only say please rest when you can.
I hope things get better for you soon
Take care
Juliepf x

stickywicket

kev4, it must be very, very tiring and frustrating for you right now. I do think that contacting Social Services and getting advice from a qualified Occupational Therapist would help. Apart from anything else they'll be able to advise on what would best suit you in all sorts of areas.

Do you have to push your wife in a wheelchair? That, in itself, can create all sorts of aches and pains, especially around the shoulders and back. I know because my 'pusher' tells me so. As he's also my husband, and now has the makings of a dodgy hip himself, I also know that sitting in some seats make this worse or at certain angles.

I sympathise over the meds too. Mine's RA but I've always taken as few painkillers as possible as (a)they don't kill pain and (b)When you're wobbly on your pins in the first place the last thing you need is to feel spaced out. I guess it's the same for you in your role as carer.

Please get all the help you can from every source possible. It will make a difference.

kev4

My wife has a electric wheelchair so no pushing anymore, Lifting not so much now, still have to do it occasionally, got equipment to help in most cases, sometimes I can't use it and have to do it by myself.

Cooking is becoming a problem, physically I can do it but most days I feel ill and it's becoming a real effort to get it done. To be honest everything is becoming effort.

I'm on 50mg Tramadol, hate the bloody things

It should of being diagnosed years ago, I suffered a whiplash injury that never went away, In that time I've had 2 MRI scans on my neck one scan on my back, tested for carpal tunnel syndrome, also got told that I've Degenerative neck disease. All my scans came back clear. This is the second time that I've being referred to the Rheumatologists clinic 3 visits so far with a different diagnoses each visit.

On the last visit the Rheumatologist sent me for X-rays on both shoulders, Told me I had wear and tear and gave me cortisone injections all within 1/2 hour of having the X-rays

stickywicket

I’m sorry, Kev4, I can see all this must be really frustrating for you. My own arthritis was diagnosed years ago but I know, from others on the forum, that it can take an age and several visits and tests to get things sorted out.

It’s good that the rheumatologist you saw last wasted no time in getting your X-rays and giving you the jabs. Did they help? They always work well for me but others have very mixed results.

I can see that cooking would be an effort. Is your wife able to help at all eg by chopping veg, peeling potatoes? I tend to either cook simple dishes that require little preparation or ones that can be prepared in stages with rests in between. Or there’s always the take away or even, at a pinch, some of the better quality Ready Meals.

Perhaps, when you say you feel too ill to cook you mean not so much too achey and/or tired as a bit queasy from the meds? If so, remember always to take them with food. Your GP can also prescribe a stomach protector.

You do say you haven’t been back to the doctor since you last saw the rheumatologist. It might be worth a visit just to find out exactly what the rheumatologist said. He may have suggested other meds to your GP. Worth a try?

okidoki

hi kev4.

i also have it in the shoulders. its not nice having it anywhere but i know how you feel. i have fibromyalga thrown it to.
i'm only 45 and dont feel much like a young man. still manage to work full time.
it does ease of with the meds. worry doesnt help your pain either.

chin up bud you will cope

woodbon

Hi, My OA is in my neck but the pain is in my shoulders as well, left is the worst. Have you been checked for any nerve damage? If you do have some nerve damage than you may be able to have surgery to help it. The best thing for the pain for me is tramadol slow release, but I know some people can't get on with it. I have some nerve damage in my elbows. and possibly my neck, as well as carpel tunnel, I had surgery on my left hand, which seemed to work, but its comming back now!
I used to work in the community as a carer, I used to go in couples, where one partner needed help that the other couldn't manage. I know things are not so easy to get now, but have you talked to your GP about the problems and and asked if it would be possible to have some extra help? My neice has carers, her husband goes to work and she can't manage to cook or wash and dress alone. Hope things get better for you soon. Love Suexxxx

sharmaine

Hi

Sorry to hear about your shoulders. I have OA in the knees and until I had x-rays I thought it was in my shoulders. However, it was like yourself, wear and tear of the muscles. The cortisone injection helped me a lot and the specialist said that if it got bad again to get referred again. I was jolly relieved that it wasn't arthur in the shoulders - apparently arthur in the shoulders is extremely rare.

It must be tough coping when you have this weakness in your arms. I find it hard just lifting and reaching. Could you enquire about getting some help? It sounds as if you both need help.

I take Tramadol at night and it makes me feel really lethargic the next day. I also take amytriptiline. I can't take anti inflams as they give affect my stomach. See your GP and have your meds revised.

I rely on my husband to do a lot of things these days. If he wasn't there I would have to ask for help.

I hope you get some good advice and some support.

Regards
Sharmaine